The First Umbral Eras

[jesseleewelch]

*Gosh I hope this hasn't been asked before*

While waiting for this game I got really absorbed into the lore and now want to know more about the first Umbral eras. We all know that our favorite bad guy ushered in the 7th Umbral Era with Dalamud and we will be in the 7th Umbral Era when we start ARR. However, how did the first 6 Umbral Eras start? Is there any information out there that would give specifics about these earlier Umbral Eras? I know the first six were all related to specific elements but that much is still pretty vague.

[NoloeTazier]

*Gosh I hope this hasn't been asked before*

While waiting for this game I got really absorbed into the lore and now want to know more about the first Umbral eras. We all know that our favorite bad guy ushered in the 7th Umbral Era with Dalamud and we will be in the 7th Umbral Era when we start ARR. However, how did the first 6 Umbral Eras start? Is there any information out there that would give specifics about these earlier Umbral Eras? I know the first six were all related to specific elements but that much is still pretty vague.

Tooting my own horn.

But basically we know the wandering tribes war in Eorzea made the Twelve "leave" and ushered in the First Umbral era (element of Wind). The fall of the Allagan Empire either caused or was a direct cause of the Fourth Umbral. Destruction wise that's about all we have..and recently coming to light we now know that White Mages caused the Sixth Umbral era by abusing their power (Conjurer learns Water now) and the element of the Sixth Umbral era being Water.

[Anonymoose]

I'm a little wrapped up for something this big at the moment, but Noloe's got a lot of the basics already... all I'd add so far is that it follows the elemental wheel.

The only odd thing is that the elemental wheel usually starts with Ice, yet this started with wind. I found a few other hints along the way that it starts with wind on occasion, making me think that perhaps there was a mid-development change much in the same way the associations of the Twelve were changed right before release.

[Xeia]

<snippety snip> the associations of the Twelve were changed right before release.

What? They were?

Is this why the Goddess of the freaking ocean isn't associated with the element of water?

[Catapult]

What? They were?

Is this why the Goddess of the freaking ocean isn't associated with the element of water?

Llymlaen is not the goddess of the ocean. She is the goddess of navigation. Her association with the wind is closely tied to the ability to steer your ship where your heart desires. This inclination for freedom is very apparant in Limsa's culture.

It was the cycle of the elements and the association with specific months that seemed to change during the development cycle, not what each of the Twelve themselves represented.

[Duuude007]

To the OP: ARR begins shortly after the dawn of the 7th astral era. This is already confirmed by devs.

An umbral era only lasts as long as the disaster lasts- The Astral eras mark the time between said disasters.

[Xeia]

Llymlaen is not the goddess of the ocean. She is the goddess of navigation. Her association with the wind is closely tied to the ability to steer your ship where your heart desires.

That actually makes a good deal of sense, thanks for clearing that up for me. :P

Apologies for the off-topic posts. /sneaks out

[Kayokane]

To the OP: ARR begins shortly after the dawn of the 7th astral era. This is already confirmed by devs.

An umbral era only lasts as long as the disaster lasts- The Astral eras mark the time between said disasters.

Are Umbrals Eras short? Or does it depend on the destruction?

It depends on the destruction. The Umbral Eras are the periods of chaos and regrouping that follow the cataclysms that end each Astral Era. The regrouping can take several years, to several decades. More on this, and what happened during the 7th Umbral Era, will be laid out in detail in the 2.0 storyline.

I believe this is what you are referring to, it doesn't necessarily confirm that we are in an Astral Era at this point, merely that an Umbral Era lasts as long as it takes to recover from the damages of the disaster that caused it. We don't have enough information about Eorzea as a whole to accurately say "This is the 7th Astral Era" or "This is the 7th Umbral Era." We adventurers returning (from the Time Vortex of Wibbily-Wobbily) may be what help usher in the 7th Astral Era (through our nature to help everybody we run across because shiny trinkets and stuff) and overall quicken the remainder of the recovery :3


what I'm try to say if that is to poorly written is: The information we don't have is too important to assume the End of an Era

[Duuude007]

I believe this is what you are referring to, it doesn't necessarily confirm that we are in an Astral Era at this point, merely that an Umbral Era lasts as long as it takes to recover from the damages of the disaster that caused it. We don't have enough information about Eorzea as a whole to accurately say "This is the 7th Astral Era" or "This is the 7th Umbral Era." We adventurers returning (from the Time Vortex of Wibbily-Wobbily) may be what help usher in the 7th Astral Era (through our nature to help everybody we run across because shiny trinkets and stuff) and overall quicken the remainder of the recovery :3


what I'm try to say if that is to poorly written is: The information we don't have is too important to assume the End of an Era

We are in 7th Astral Era. This was confirmed as of last December.

2012 will be remembered as the year the Seventh Umbral Era storyline drew to a close, and the curtains came down on the original version of the game. But every end marks a new beginning, and 2013 will see Eorzea begin a new chapter with the arrival of the Seventh Astral Era.

[Kayokane]

We are in 7th Astral Era. This was confirmed as of last December.

I must of missed that part, it doesn't say we'll begin in the 7AE, only that it will ar--- BLAH BLAH BLAH you get the gist of what I'm going to say at this point so I'll shut up and give you the point here =^-^= ~Nyaa